Mobile DJ's, what do you use in case "IT" happends??

[Matt D]

What do you all use for a backup system if your computer crashes??  I have all the faith in the world in OTS but not in my computer!!  Now that my desk top is DOA i have got worried that the same thing could happen to my Laptop DURING a gig!!!  I am going to make a backup on an external HD but what would you use to get thought the gig??

Matt D

[Jigger]

I have been very lucky, Since I started with Ots in 2000, I have never had a computer crash at a gig. Mind you I have a computer just for gigs and doesn't get used for anything else. I use to have cd player in case of a crash, I now take a creative zen jukebox with a 60 gig hd, with various play lists on it.
I have three licences for Ots so in total three computers ready to go if need arises.

[Jumpin' Jeff]

I carry a full rackmount system as my main rig, and a Desknote A928 desktop replacement as my backup, audio only setup. I've had to use it at 2 functions, and for the entire gig, as I bounced the system too hard in travels, and shook some of the memory connections intermittant at one, and the motherboard died due to a bad capacitor in the other, and exposed itself during setup.

[Bryan Durio]

My primary gig machine is a laptop and my backup gig machine is another laptop, although I've never needed to use it for backup. I use it if I need a music source too far from my main rig.

Ots has never failed me, but it's a good idea to have hardware redundancy.

[DICEDJ]

I'm with Jigger on this. Creative Zen 60gb. Multiple playlists ready. As yet unused in anger but performs well in rehearsals.

[JD The DJ]

I have a main laptop and a backup laptop and also an ipod with my entire music library on it. So far, I have never had to revert to a backup. I did however have a "freeze" in OTS at my last job when someone gave us a CD to play and it was scratched. Just closed OTS and reopened it and back in business. That was very strange. Never had that happen before.

[milky]

Do you also carry spare speakers, amps, mixers? Where do you draw the line with backup redundancy?

[Matt D]

Do you also carry spare speakers, amps, mixers? Where do you draw the line with backup redundancy?

I dont carry extra speakers, i do however carry extra drivers for my horn.  W/ big shows ( outside, gyms ect.) i bi amp w/ a set of subs, i have amps that can drop to low ohms (2 & 4).  i am lose one sub cabinet but i can get though, and if not bi-amping i have a spare amp.  so i have extra built in there.  if some thing else goes (mixer, eq, crossover, ect) i can probably rewire to make it.

i have all the faith in the world in OTS and dont worry about  it at all.  i am just a little gun shy now that my desk top flopped on me.  My laptop DOES get to the net for the lame (SP) encoder.  i try to limit that how ever and keep my anti virus software up to date.

thanks for the advice.  i would like to find a cheepy labtop to use as a spare and for conversions to .ots files.  that way i can keep my main machine off the net.

Matt D

[Flipside]

My main computer is Compaq desktop w/ 2 hdd's that are mirrored.  If I have a problem w/ one, hopefully it will not harm the other.  If that goes bad I have a HP laptop w/ external soundcard.  I leave the CD cases in the trailer just incase.

For equipment back up, I have it already wired in my case.  The computer, CD player, and mics are "Y" into the full mixer and a 1 space mixer.  If the main mixer crashes all I have to do is switch speaker to other post.  I have an extra pair of speakers in the trailer for back up.   Hopefully downtime would be short.

[sweet-lovelle]

What if.... let's say there is a complete lost of power in the place of your gig.
What are you going to do for a backup?
Using an emergency power generator?
Do you have one?
Or do you have a big band and lots of candle lights for backup?

Just some stupid thoughts of mine....

[Lane]

I bring a spare universe with me, just so I have everything I might ever need. 

I think the thing to remember is that certain pieces of equipment are more prone to failure than others, and a person would be wise to have an alternative for them.  Certainly computer rigs fall into that realm.  If you have twin powered monitors, and one failed, you could run mono in a pinch.  Whereas if you had a single amp, and unpowered speakers, you might be without any sound should the amp go down. The point I'm making is sometimes it's not about having a duplicate set of equipment, but instead having flexible equipment.  Maybe you don't bring a spare mixer, but you instead make sure you have the necessary cabling to go straight from your computer soundcard to your amp should the mixer fail.  Certainly keeping a full set of fuses, spare cables, a spare mic etc. is also good idea.

And about Marion's generator joke.  Some people do outdoor gigs, and might actually have a generator because adequate power is too far away.  Can you imagine the referrals you would get if you actually the music running during a power outage, and could continue providing not only sound, but also power a couple of lights in key places?  It could stay in the van for every gig, until that one time it's needed. I'm kooky enough to actually do that.

Big bands eat too much. But some candles might be nice.  Very romantic!

[kdservices]

i do have all my pcs at home running off an apc smart ups 5000va i did try to take it to gigs but found it a little heavy. but testing it at home it powered my entire rig thats pc mixer two amps and lights for a good 15mins.

[clover-leaf-productions]

I actually have a mate who does have two of everything in his trailer, plus a back up rig of CD players and several trunks of CD's he carts to every gig; but wait there's more he has the Colman generator too that goes along for the ride.  I have teased him that he has two of everything, accept the generator.  Yes he even takes a long a spare set of clothing as well.

I give him no end of grief about is compulsive paranoid behavior!

[JD The DJ]

I do outdoor gigs and I DO have a generator. I have more problems with low power instead of no power when working outside.

[Rendezvous]

I have an MP3 player for immediate recovery in the unlikely event of a crash, and a backup laptop (hence the 2 PDI numbers below) for ongoing backup. I have a pair of Bose L1 speakers and I am most often only using one, so I have a complete backup PA system should that fail. I have a spare wired microphone and a spare wireless microphone, I carry spare bulbs for my lights and I have a large number of leads, connectors and adapters.

About the only thing I don't have backup for is me. I'd LOVE a generator to have with me in the car. The Honda Inverter generators are regarded very highly as they provide a more stable power delivery than most power companies and they are whisper quiet. a 2kVa would do me very nicely!